


Unbalance

by fuckinqueen



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst, Cuddling, Fluff, I Can See Mello Being a Badass, It's 2020 Y'all, M/M, No Beta, OOC, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, When Shit Goes Down
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:27:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26828092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckinqueen/pseuds/fuckinqueen
Summary: Near knew this was going to happen; his life was already fucked up as is. But he didn't expect them to come back.Mello was surprised, but at least he has his trusty friend Matt with him. Too bad he has his trusty friend Matt with him.Neither thought they'd run across each other in this madness, neither thought they'd find solice in this madness.Oh well. Crazier things've happened.
Relationships: L & Near | Nate River, Mello | Mihael Keehl & Matt | Mail Jeevas, Mello | Mihael Keehl/Near | Nate River
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	1. Dammit, We're Fucked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Just a quick note; the three dots in the center ("…") means a scene or sometimes time skip/switch. The thing that looks like a rose to me - or just a flower - ("~*~") means POV switch. It will mostly be around Mello and Near's POV, but who knows, it could switch. I hope you like reading!
> 
> AAAND of course, I don't own Death Note or anything that relates to it. XD If I did, us people with OTPs might be a lot happier xD but then what would we write about? Make it real, y'all.
> 
> Also, title could change any time. Just watch out for that.
> 
> Happy early Halloween and late Pandemic! xD

Near is fucked. Absolutely, completely fucked. Why? Because his not-older-brother-but-sure-feels-like-it-brother, L, is too busy worrying about his boyfriend. Who lives in Japan. 

During the midst of this… thing, L has just been annoying. He doesn't do anything. To be fair, neither has Near. But that's because there's nothing to do, but at least Near isn't complaining. 

When they first saw the first thing, Near had been inside, playing with his toy robot and airplane, and L had been sitting in the living room, on the phone with his beloved boyfriend, and apparently he had lost connection. Near doesn't know, he wasn't there, but that's what L said. 

And then there was a thud on the door, and L had reacted as he normally does; extremely cautious. So he looked out he window, and saw a blood-covered monster, and fucking screamed. Albeit, very quietly, but enough for Near to get up and see what happened. And when he asked L to calm down and explain what happened, L said something like "Iwasonthephonewilightndthentherewasthat _thing!_ "

Near, being the young idiot who was too naive at the time, looked out the window too, curious. He still suspects his innocence was ruined that day. It's quite possible. 

Now it's been about two months, if Near's counting the calendar correctly. It started in September, and now it's November, and luckily snow hasn't started to fall. 

At least they aren't as fast as they were before. Near blames that on the decaying process, but L isn't convinced. 

"L, can you please be quiet? I'm planning." Near says, placing another piece of a puzzle into it's spot. L sighs, his shoulders slumping more than they already were 

"Sorry, Near, but I really do hope he's okay." Near rolls his eyes, glad he's facing away from his… companion. 

"We've stayed here for two months, L. I think it's high time we get out of here. We're lucky we've even survived on what we have so far." _It'd be a lot easier if I were by myself,_ Near thinks grimly, _but it's enough we lost Watari. I don't think I could lose L too._

"I know," L sighs again, "but I don't know how to fight. Or kill those things. No one's alive, we're alone, and this is our home." All the points he makes applies to Near too, and the white-haired teenager groans inwardly. 

"Well, perhaps we may just go… get things and bring them back." _Getting attached to things is the last thing we need… and gathering supplies in one spot… yet moving would mean we can only carry a specific and not-too-heavy amount of things. L's strong, but he can't run that fast and certainly can't run with heavy things. As for me, I'm small, and probably weak. My clothes - although I love them - will probably drag, and I'll trip. And die._ Near contemplates his options. _If there is someone alive, we'd need to stay in one spot so they can find us. Yet is finding people really what we want? They could kill us just to get our stocks. Hm… damn, I wish I didn't have to stay with L. At this point I'd've killed myself already. This is something new, something I can't handle. But let's say that we keep moving, and although it's hard, we manage to avoid people. L would probably go crazy from non-socialness, even if I were with him. I'm not a very good at interaction._

Being a pessimist has gotten him through life very well before, so Near has no doubts it will help him here. He's pretty sure all of the optimists died first. The realists and pessimists are left. Pessimists will probably die of suicide, like Near wants, because here there is no good option. All of it can be worst-case scenario. But Near can live. It can be like a band name; "Near and the Realists." Near will be the only pessimist in the groups of realists, because he's calculating. And will attach to no one.

"Good," L breathes out, sounding relieved. Near barely hears him, still calculating. This time about how many floors it'd take on a building for him to fall and die easily and quickly. And if it'd work on the roof of this house, which is pretty big, but only because Watari likes - liked - to indulge. And spoil just a little. Which is how L and Near both have several rooms for many different puposes. Near has a toy room, for god's sake. But the roof… maybe. 

"Yes. Then we can see who's alive. But you and I'll need dark clothes." Near fixes an eye on L, from behind his now-shaggy hair. "And a weapon. Preferably a sharp knife. Gloves might do well too."

…

"Ready?" Near asks quietly, walking down the stairs from his bedroom to where L is pacing in the dining room. Both are wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, and jeans; the shirt they both agree on not being their color. But L loves jeans. And Near loves pajamas. And all white, pristine, cleanness. 

"Yeah. I don't know how to do this. Fuck, Near, what is you die? What if I die, that's what I'm worrying about, because I don't want to see you alone." L puts his hands on Near's shoulders, and Near involuntarily flinches a little. Well, if L's swearing, then shit is serious. Near already knew it was, but whatever. 

"If I die, I'm sorry. If you die, I'd see you in about an hour." Near says it deadpan, completely serious, but L smiles, like it was a joke. It's better for him to think it's a joke anyway. "Are you sure you're ready? If we're careful, we may not have to kill anyone. Anything." _And if we aren't… death for everyone. Yay._

"Yeah, I suppose I have to be ready. How do we leave? Where do we leave? Where do we go? How'll we get back?" Near rolls his eyes, and sits down on top of the table, having to climb on a chair to do so. 

"So you aren't ready. Very well, sit down." Before L follows his intructions, he continues. "We will leave quietly and carefully. And out the back. We can go to that store that isn't too far of a walk, but we'll have to be quiet and watch each other's backs. You do know that this stuff will be heavy, right? We might have to take several trips. And make a trail to and from. We get back normally. Anymore questions?" L shakes his head. "Good. Come on then." 

Near hops off the table and grabs his favorite knife from the kitchen. It's shiny, long and elegant looking. It has a black handle, and actually, it was Watari's. Near decided to use it in honor for his kind-of-father. Watari had been saying that he'd let Near have it, one day, when Near was older and needed the protection. "Such a dangerous world, especially for someone like you," Watari would say, and Near would always be a little angry at him for saying that, "because you really are handsome. That wouldn't go down well. Such an innocent boy." 

The last time he'd said that, he added, "But they better not mess with you, because even if you look like you'd never hurt someone, I know you would. You're strong. I like that about you."

Near leads the way silently through the house. Silence is a gift of his; one he uses to not be noticed. He prefers it. But L… L's gift is to contemplate things, eat sweets, and be smart. Not silence. At least that's one thing Near's got that's better than his older kinda-sibling. 

At the back door, Near resists the urge to sit and think about this more, and keeps his back straight and his eyes neutral. He checks on L behind him, who looks curious, and engaged in a very long thought process. Oh dear. Here we go. 

"L." Near hisses before L can say anything. "I don't care if there's something I missed. Whatever it is, let it go." 

"What? No. I know a way through. To get to that store." 

Which is how he ends up trekking through backyards and having to hop over fences, Near cursing inwardly the whole time. 

"L…" he gasps, out of breath, "how in the hell are we supposed to get back?" 

…Until he notices how L's been opening the fences ever-so-slightly, but being very quiet about it, and looking at him amusedly. 

"L!" He complains, after recovering from his numb shock. "Seriously? You could've at least told me! And that way won't be safe forever." L nods, looking serious once again. 

"I know. Why weren't you paying attention to what I was doing? You're normally so observant." That stings. Probably more than it should. He _is_ observant. He notices things. He was just thinking. 

Something moving in the corner of his eye brings his attention to the window of the house they're currently next to. But it's too fast to be one of them. Unless if that one's new. Either way… it looks human, and is even looking like it's yelling. _They do look human, though… but would one of those things really put a hand on it's hip and wave a finger around like it's making a point?_

Decidedly not. 

"Let's just get moving please," Near requests, starting to move closer to L, pushing him forward. 

~*~

"Y'are such a fucking lazy ass, Matt!" Mello yells, stomping into the room where his best friend is sitting on the floor, playing on a goddamn game. "Can't you do anything useful?" 

"Hey! I'm useful!" Matt looks up, his eyes hurt. Mello puts a hand on his hip and juts it out, looking skeptically at him with his head tilted to the side. "Wow, you look just like I imagine my mom would look. Heyy, it's a mom look!" Mello points at him, as if proving his point. 

"See what I mean? All you do is go around saying unnecessary commentary. I don't apreciate it." Matt laughs, and it just pisses Mello off more. He is _not_ joking! Matt probably knows that, but also knows Mello won't hurt him. Fine. Be that way. "Whatever. Fuck off." Mello sits on the floor next to him, looking at what Matt's playing. 

"I need new batteries soon," Matt sighs, looking wistful, "so we're gonna hafta get some." 

"Or not," Mello grumbles, but Matt makes sure he knows that oh, they are in fact getting some. "Fine…" Mello geoans, getting up again, too restless to stay in one spot. "If this weren't such a fancy, dead-end town…" He kicks a couch they moves off to the side. "Dammit, no. If only this shit didn't happen." 

"Could've been worse!" Matt chimes up, all happily. Ah, Matt, ever the optimist. The complete opposite of Mello. But optimists and pessimists and such don't really mean shit. Neither does things like Zodiac signs - Mello's a Sagittarius, but he doesn't see it… fucking stereotypes anyway - or Horoscopes (in the same boat as Zodiac signs) or girl/boy names/clothes/anything. And much other things. Mello could list them all, but that'd just be annoying. 

"Fuck you, Matt. It is so much worse than you think. There is no way it can get worse. But you know our sweet Mother Nature, she'll kick our asses down further deep into the ground before we're up yet." Something Mello does believe in; Mother Nature and any other badass women.

"You don't know that," Matt scolds, still not looking up. Mello rolls his eyes and walks away, done with being partially ignored. 

_I do know that, asshole, it's hapened everytime. All the time._

But his best friend doesn't know that. Or, at least, doesn't focus on it. It isn't even the best thing to do. How do you think Mello's so smart about this shit? How do you think Mello's been prepared for everything that's come their way? How the hell would you explain how they've made it through the few states they have in this short couple of months? 

"Whatever, though. Mello will just do all the damn work because that's what he does. He'll work for their survival. A little extra hard, because shouldering two weights when all you've taken care of your whole life is one is hard. Nothing Mello can't handle. All he does is take it as a challenge. No harm in that. 

Except for his competitive streak. 

That's a good part of him, though. That's how he wins. At everything. And when he doesn't, he tries harder. Like Matt's damn video games. Mello still hasn't learned how to beat him, but he will, once they can actually relax in a place that's safe and chill. No more survival. 

Lucky Mello already knew how to use weapons. Knives being his particular favorite. It's just the slicing, the slight metallic noise it makes when being pulled out of its sheath - if it has one - and the stabbing. 

Don't get him wrong; he's not a psycho. He just enjoys these things. It's kinda… fun. Only a little hot. Not that anyone knows that. 

Enough of thinking about his weird kinks, he should probably get to making a plan for the store. 

…

"Are ya' sure, buddy? This is a little risky. Not saying I won't follow you to hell and back!" Matt holds his hands up when Mello glares at him threateningly. 

"A week, Matty-boy, a week. That's how long I've been thinking this through. It only gets risky when we get to the damn store, and then safe again. Besides; we're quiet. It shouldn't be a problem. You have a problem?" He's making his voice menacing enough, maybe a little over the top, but dammit, Matt was right. They need to go to the store. For not only batteries, but chocolate, because Mello's stocks are running low. Something Mello hates about this apocalypse is that there's no one making more chocolate. 

It's an obsession. A straight-out addiction. Just like Matt and his smoking, Mello needs it. The sweetness, the melting on his tongue, the perfect of dark chocolate - his favorite - the everything! He also needs it to think better, and to get away. It's like Matt when he smokes two, maybe three in a row when he's stressed. Mello does the same thing! With chocolate. At least it isn't as much of a cancer risk, although everything causes cancer. 

"No, Mello, but chill the hell out, will you? Let's go! And get batteries! Mind if I add cigarettes to the list?" 

"Yes!" Mello snaps. They don't need three things. Especially to last a while. 

"Please, Melsie?" Mello wrinkles his nose at the ridiculous attempt at a nickname. But Matt's puppy-dog look thaws him. 

"Fine idiot. But don't call me that." Matt shrugs, just looking happy he got his way. "Our addictions will kill us," Mello groans, laughter on the rise. "They didn't used to. Not like this, at least. Now… now we must go and try not to be killed personally by someone who maybe actually made or selled those things. Shit, that's fucked up." 

"Isn't it? It's a bit wow, am I right? I just noticed that yesterday." Mello nods, lost in thought. 

"Well, come on, we have a store to get to." 

They go to the front door of the unnecessarily fancy house they're staying in, and exits it onto the road. They walk down the road, like a normal day. If any of the dead ones come close enough to touch, Mello sticks it in an eye (meaning the knife… and sexual innuendo intended) or kicks it away, the former being easier but less fun. 

Actually, Mello's doing all this to a song. "Havana" by Camila Cabello, because that's basically his song. He twirls and dances to the tune inside his head, occasionally humming/singing a line before falling quiet. Even Matt hums the tune so he can dance easier. 

"You dance like a girl!" Matt exclaims, once they get to the front of the store, and Mello's serious and calm once again. "Woman, more like. With all the curves and ass. And stuff." 

"Should I be offended or… whatever that other word is? Sorry, brain puke." Mello raises a slim eyebrow, suddenly contemplating if Matt's right. Yes, he has long, shoulder-length blonde hair - that used to be chin-length, but it's been two months - and long eyelashes, and a feminine figure, that doesn't at all fit his voice. Unless if he talks seductively, then it instinctually hightens in level, and he sounds like a woman then. So… he supposes… "Ah, flattered's the word. Got the bags?" 

Matt holds up two bags seemingly out of nowhere. Mello smirks, and snatches one out of his friend's hand. 

"Hey!" Matt complains. Mello rolls his eyes and walks into the store, inconspicuously checking his jeans to see if they're good enough to run in and if he looks good enough in them. _Well, we have to worry about something normally,_ Mello scowls at his newly developed blush. Well, not _at_ it, because he can't see it, but still. "What're you laughing at?" Matt asks, slithering up to Mello from behind. Mello stems his laughter. 

"Sorry. Come on. You find your batteries, and I'll find my chocolate. We'll stop at the gas station on our way out." Mello walks away without him for the second time, this time going around the large store to see if any dead ones are lingering. He kills any he finds, grimacing at the slippery, blood-streaked floor. Ew. 

Once he finds his chocolate, he shoves it all in, his craving intensifying so much he takes one and opens it right now. 

A loud moaning, obviously more than one person, enters his routine of grab it, stuff it, repeat. He glances up and utters an "oh shit…"


	2. Nice Ta' Meetcha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was posted as close to Halloween as possible! :) Enjoy Mello and Near's first meeting!

Mello just stares at the slowly approaching horde of dead ones, his mouth moving silently to curse obscene things that only he can hear in his head.

Hey, man, we gotta go to the back." Matt comes up from behind him and pokes him in the shoulder. Mello shakes his head, turning around to face his friend. "No? But-" 

"Not that. What did you get?" Mello slings an arm around his friend's shoulders, both of them beginning to walk towards the back, where there's surely an exit. Matt smirks at him. 

"A lot of batteries. But also, since I knew you wouldn't, I got food. You know, the canned, pantry stuff. Boxes and cans are our friends, yessir. Did you get your chocolate?" Mello nods, swinging his other arm up so Matt can see his precious chocolate, looking distractedly back at the approaching horde. 

He immediately bursts out laughing. Matt looks behind them too, confused. 

They group is just ambling slowly towards them, shifting and swaying, most of their mouths gaping open. Some have their bottom jaws ripped off, even. "Look," Mello points to one where the chest has been cut and shot at, "it seems like some idiots were trying to kill it by stabbing and shooting at its heart. Dumb idiots. They should know that these fucker's hearts have stopped beating. Haven't they watched the movies?" 

To kill them, you must go for the head, yes. But you have to get the brain's central thing, whatever it's called. Mello knows this. The center is easy; just go for an eyeball, and shove up. Shooting, you'd have to have a good aim. Another beautiful thing about knives. 

Speaking of eyeballs, though, some of them are missing eyeballs. Whether it be one or both, those ones are clumsily knocking into the others, having to rely on just the way its friends are going. Mello's pretty sure that scent isn't a thing they can use, since they don't have to breathe. And they probably have hearing. So, sight and hearing. Not very skilled. 

"Alright, enough." Mello continues walking, now serious. "We can walk faster than they can." 

As soon as they make it and find the door to go through, they turn to each other, laughing and covering each other's mouths to try and calm down and be quiet. 

"Ahem, sorry for inturrupting, but you should stop and shut up before they hear you and come barging in here to kill us." Mello stops abruptly, turning to see who spoke with an obviously pessimistic voice. What he finds is two males sitting on boxes, one of them hunched over with his legs drawn up to his chest and balancing on his feet, and the other a smaller, very pale male with only one leg drawn up to his chest, the other dangling, and a thin, spidery hand in his white hair, twirling a lock of it. 

The smaller one has his head tilted to the side with an annoyed, I-will-kill-you look in his stormy gray eyes, so Mello thinks it's safe to assume that he's the one who spoke. 

Sure enough, the small one raises his other hand from off his knee, dully looking between Matt and Mello, and finally settling on Mello. _Was that supposed to be a wave?_

" _L_ here wanted to meet you. So we were waiting for you. Day after day. L wanted to meet you…" The white-haired male smiles the slightest smile, and it looks almost taunting, "whereas I say go die. It's only going to get worse from here on."

 _Holy shit,_ Mello thinks, stunned, _this guy is badass... maybe he's my only exception to badass women..._

"So, you are coming with us. Pull your weight, you're welcome. That house you're in is very unstable. Has been." The smaller male gets up and begins walking towards the back exit. The other male follows with a slight, apologetic smile towards Matt and Mello. "By the by..." The smaller male looks over his shoulder, dark stormy eyes peering at Mello. "I am Nate. This is L, as you've heard." 

"Matt, and I'm Mihael." Mello introduces himself and Matt, choosing to use his real name for reasons that he doesn't trust this "Nate". Something about Nate's name - no, the way Nate said it - didn't roll off of Nate's tongue the way names would when introducing yourself. 

Matt gives him a look before also following after the other two. Mello is left standing there, staring after the strange, white-haired teenager. 

"Come along, Runner." Nate calls. Mello scowls.

They all walk through a quiet spot, behind everyone's abandoned houses. In their backyards. "Thanks, dead people," Mello mutters, having just thought of this. Matt snorts by his side. 

They're led by Nate, who looks solemn and calculating. Mello continues to study the small male, only once glancing behind him to see the horde just standing there, glancing around dumbly in the store. 

The other male, L apparently, stays silent the whole time, his hands in his pockets and hunched over like he's bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders. 

At Nate and L's house - which is downright huge, like what the hell, gang, why do you need this - they all sit and a table, L and Nate in their odd ways, Matt normally, and Mello with his right leg tossed over his left.

"So," Nate starts, eyes landing on Mello first before they drift all around the table. They settle back on the blonde until he begins speaking again. "We need a plan. For what we're going to do with you two. And how we're going to live in a world like this. Stay or go? Keep or leave? Wander or find a specific place?"

Mello rolls his eyes, finding all this annoying and kinda ironic, seeing that Nate keeps looking between Mello and L. A Runner and whatever the fuck these people are. 

"Yeah. Well. Pros and cons, eh Nate? Running means you won't get found by humans who want to kill you and take your shit, and protects you from those dead ones. But it means you can't carry that much, and you have to rely on the hope that you'll find someplace with your main source of supplies." Mello blows on his nails nonchalantly. "Running has an upside when you want to compare plans." 

Nate stares him down, looking unamused. 

"Yes, Mihael. I do agree. But forgive me for not caring." Matt laughs out of nowhere. Mello glares at him, and switches his gaze when quiet chuckles come from the other side of him. Now he's surrounded by idiots. Matt on his right side, L on his left, and Nate… well, it's safer to assume he's an idiot as well. But he's across from Mello. 

"I'm surrounded by idiots." Mello growls, moving his head slowly from side to side. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he notices a slight change in Nate's facial expression, but when he looks directly, there's nothing, just the same unamused stare facing directly at him.

"Ahem. Anyway, staying in one place means you can stock up for as much supplies as possible, and people can find you if they're alive. Family and people you trust and such. But it means that people can find you easier… it's both a pro and con." Nate lifts his head thoughtfully towards the ceiling, quickly starting to twirl some of his bouncy hair. "So… I think I have a plan." 

"Yes?" Mello leans forward, uncrossing his legs so they don't press into his stomach. 

"I believe that we should move. But, we should move to a safer, more discreet place. Mihael, Matt, do you have any ideas? I know that you've been traveling around for the past months." Mello lights up, but Matt cuts him off. 

"Well, Me-" 

Mello shoots him a glare that shuts him up. _Don't call me "Mello" in front of these frea- people, please._ "Matt, that spot that we skipped over. Remember? You wanted to stay but I told you something bad would happen? It was gorgeous. And basically outside of most civilization. Well, dead civilization." 

"You… told him something bad would hapen?" A slight peak of interest sparks inside Nate's monotonous tone.

"Yeah, so?" Mello squints suspiciously at him. 

"I do believe I would've said the same thing. I suppose we have that in common. Back to the subject at hand, though. Where is this place?" Mello shrugs. 

"The last place we could've stopped before here. Maybe me and Matt could retrace our steps." Matt's head jerks up, and he slightly shakes his head at Mello. "Or not. Maybe I am traveling with my very distracted, annoying, ditzy best friend who never listens." 

"Mihael-" _Hm, I like the way he says that,_ "-that is the best option. We can leave as soon as we get things together." 

"Which might take a bit, because we have to make sure we have everything we need." 

"By now we should know what we need in an apocalypse." 

"Yes, but doesn't that mean that you would've already gotten it from the supply places?" Nate growls, leaning a bit forward, shifting to be resting on his feet. 

"Of course, of course, why didn't I… oh! That means we have to-" 

"-Stop on the way and get as we go! It is a bit away! Yes yes yes!"

"But where… where… and wouldn't we die? Tell me you won't die." Nate growls again, placing his free hand on the table and glaring at Mello and all the others. 

"We might not die, but you should know there isn't any garantee." Mello copies him, instead putting both hands on the table. He stands up, the chair squealing on the floor behind him. 

"And what if me and L can't carry much things? We aren't exactly the strongest. L only has strength in his legs. What part of this place that you found was amazing?" 

"The house." 

"Hm…" 

"Bad news though; we are too far away from supply places." Mello smacks the table, huffing and looking away. 

"No. Very bad news. That means we'll need to make supply runs. That's dangerous." Nate nods thoughtfully. 

"WAIT! More bad news; WE CAN'T STAND TO BE SEPARATED. Death will catch us there." More vigorous nodding on each side. Both of them don't notice L and Matt glancing at each other part-amusedly and part-nervously. 

"Then we'll have to-" 

"And leaving things behind-" 

"I don't know if-" 

" _We'll have to just risk it all._ " They stare at each other after saying this at the same time. About a second later, they both nod and yell "YES!" 

Mello collapses back in his chair, and Nate lets his head roll back.

"I've never heard him yell." L murmurs. Matt snorts, suppressing laughter - not very well, or else Mello wouldn't know he's doing it. 

"Was that… did we just witness verbal sex?" They both nod and laugh a little. 

~*~

" _The Lion King_ is my favorite movie." Near says separately to Mihael, having dragged the blonde into his personal room after their talking. He used the excuse that he wanted to talk apart from the optimist and realists L and Matt are. 

He's lying on his back with his feet propped on the wall - he's back in his all-white attire, his beautifully comfortable pajamas - and an airplane in his hand, above his head, soaring around with whooshing noises. Scattered around his head are plastic army figures, some lying on their backs or fronts, and some standing up. 

Mihael is standing in the doorway, where he's been for the past 20 minutes, shifting around awkwardly. 

"May Mihael please sit?" Near frowns, switching back to his normal position in a probably-too-fast movement. "It's making me nervous and jittery." He picks up some army figures, four to be exact, choosing each a different color to represent them all. 

"It's… it's mellow." Near wrinkles his brow, glancing up at the blonde, and almost yelping when he sees that Mihael has done exactly as he asked. "No, no, not the word. M-E-L-L-O. It's my nickname." 

"But… Mihael isn't that mellow at all." Near chides himself for not using the right grammar, instead reverting back to the way he spoke when he was a child. 

"Yeah, I know, but you're lucky I'm even giving you my nickname at all. But Matt made it as a joke, because he told me the same thing." Near hums distantly.

"Near." He sighs, deciding to do the same favor. "I realize you don't like me. I don't like you either. I suppose we just agree sometimes. Excuse my brother, though, please." _I wonder if "Near and the Realists" has turned into "Near, Mello and the Dumbasses"? Would he be a lead singer/role?_ No matter; this thought makes Near more giddy than he should be.


End file.
